Fasting Guidelines
Afterfeast of the Ascension. Tone five.
Fast. Fish Allowed
Today’s Commemorations
- Martyr Justin the Philosopher, and those with him at Rome: Martyrs Justin , Chariton and his wife Charita , Euelpistus , Hierax , Peon , Valerian and Justus (166).
- Venerable Dionysius , abbot of Glushitsa (Vologda) (1437).
- New Hieromartyr Basil priest, Virgin-martyr Vera (1940).
- Glorification (1990) of Righteous John of Kronstadt (1908).
- Venerable Justin (Popovich) of Chelije in Serbia (1979) ( Serbia ).
- Venerable Agapitus , unmercenary physician of the Kiev Caves (1095).
- St. Mertius the Farmer of Myra in Lycia (912).
- Martyr Neon (Greek).
- Hieromartyr Pyrrhus the Virgin (Greek).
- Martyr Firmus of Magus (3rd c.) (Greek).
- Martyr Thespesius of Cappadocia (230) (Greek).
- Holy Martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul of Gareji (1696) (Georgia).
Scripture Readings
Acts 19:1-8
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
John 14:1-11
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Martyr Justin the Philosopher, and those with him at Rome: Martyrs Justin , Chariton and his wife Charita , Euelpistus , Hierax , Peon , Valerian and Justus (166). 
The Holy Martyrs Justin, Chariton, Euelpistos, Ierax, Peonus, Valerian, Justus and the Martyress Charita suffered at the same time with Saint Justin the Philosopher, in the year 166. They were brought to Rome and thrown into prison. The saints bravely confessed their faith in Christ before the court of the city-commander Rusticus. Rusticus asked Saint Justin, whether in actuality he thought, that after undergoing tortures he would go to heaven and receive recompense from God. Saint Justin answered, that not only did he think, but truly he knew and believed in this. The city-commander proposed to all the Christian prisoners that they offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. But he received their refusal and issued a sentence of death. The saints were beheaded.
Venerable Agapitus , unmercenary physician of the Kiev Caves (1095). 
The Monk Agapit of Pechersk, Unmercenary Physician (“Medic”), born at Kiev, a novice and student of the Monk Antonii of Pechersk, lived during the XI Century. If any of the monastic brethren fell ill, the Monk Agapit came to him and selflessly attended to the sick one; he fed him boiled herbs which he himself prepared, and the patient recovered through the prayers of the monk. Many laymen also turned for help to the monastic physician possessing the gift of healing. In Kiev at this time was an experienced Armenian physician, who by one look at a patient was able to diagnose the nature of the illness and even accurately determine the day of death. When one of these fore-doomed patients turned to Saint Agapit, the grace-bearing healer gave him to taste of food from the monastery refectory, and the patient became well. Enflamed with envy, the physician wanted to poison Saint Agapit, but the Lord preserved the monk, and the poison had no effect. Saint Agapit healed the Chernigov prince Vladimir Monomakh, – the future GreatPrince of Kiev (1114-1125), by having sent him boiled herbs. The grateful prince himself went to the monastery and wanted to see his healer, but the humble ascetic hid himself and would not accept gifts. When the holy healer himself became sick, that same Armenian physician came to him and having taken a look, he said, that death would follow after three days. Before this he gave an oath to became an Orthodox monk, if his prediction were not fulfilled. The monk answered, that the Lord had revealed to him, that He would summon him only after three months. Saint Agapit died after three months (1 June, not later than 1095), and the Armenian went to the hegumen of the Pechersk monastery and took monastic vows. “It is certain, that Agapit was a saint of God, – said he. – I well knew, that it was impossible for him in his sickness to last three days, but the Lord gave him three months”. Thus did the monk heal sickness of the soul and guide to the way of salvation.
Holy Martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul of Gareji (1696) (Georgia). 
The holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. St. Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children: five sons and three daughters. After their parents died, Shios brothers quarreled so intensely over their inheritance that the eldest brother finally killed the youngest. Deeply disturbed by this tragedy, blessed Shio sought to withdraw from the vanity of the worlda world in which brother can murder brother and a son can murder his father. Shio confessed his desire to his spiritual father, and he was advised to journey to the David-Gareji Monastery and be tonsured a monk. In fact, the abbot, Fr. Onopre (Machutadze), had invited Shio to the monastery several times before, saying, Come, brother Shio, and let us finish our lives here. With great joy Onopre received Shio, who was already revered by many for his faith and chastity. He directed him to a cell and clothed him as a novice. Blessed Shios tireless labors, humility, and manifest love for his brothers inspired many to seek his counsel. The abbot himself often trusted Shio to administer the affairs of the monastery in his absence. Once Fr. Onopre departed to attend to some matters outside the monastery, leaving Shio in charge. After Vespers and a meal, the exhausted brothers were settling down to rest when a band of Dagestani robbers suddenly stormed the monastery grounds. They ransacked the monastery and captured Hieromonk Shio and the monks David, Gabriel and Paul and killed them. Some of the brothers who remained tried to flee, but they were caught and brutally slain. The cells of the David-Gareji Monastery were soaked with blood. Then the Dagestanis, yet unsatisfied, seized and destroyed nearly all the monasterys property. They stole some of the clerical vestments, and the rest they cut in pieces and tossed in a well. Then they hacked the holy icons to pieces with their axes. With the blessing of the catholicos and by order of the king, the mutilated relics of the holy martyrs were buried in the courtyard south of the grave of St. David of Gareji.
Glorification (1990) of Righteous John of Kronstadt (1908).
“Saint John of Kronstadt was a married priest, who lived with his wife in virginity. Through his untiring labours in his priestly duties and love for the poor and sinners, he was granted by our Lord great gifts of clairvoyance and miracle-working, to such a degree that in the last years of his life miracles of healings both of body and of soul were performed countless times each day through his prayers, often for people who had only written to him asking his help. During his lifetime he was known throughout Russia, as well as in the Western world. He has left us his diary My Life in Christ as a spiritual treasure for Christians of every age; simple in language, it expounds the deepest mysteries of our Faith with that wisdom which is given only to a heart purified by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Foreseeing as a true prophet the Revolution of 1917, he unsparingly rebuked the growing apostasy among the people; he foretold that the very name of Russia would be changed. As the darkness of unbelief grew thicker, he shone forth as a beacon of unquenchable piety, comforting the faithful through the many miracles that he worked and the fatherly love and simplicity with which he received all. Saint John reposed in peace in 1908.” (Great Horologion)
Additional Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Venerable Dionysius , abbot of Glushitsa (Vologda) (1437).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest, Virgin-martyr Vera (1940).
Venerable Justin (Popovich) of Chelije in Serbia (1979) ( Serbia ).
St. Mertius the Farmer of Myra in Lycia (912).
Martyr Neon (Greek).
Hieromartyr Pyrrhus the Virgin (Greek).
Martyr Firmus of Magus (3rd c.) (Greek).
Martyr Thespesius of Cappadocia (230) (Greek).
Today’s Hymns
Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher & Those with Him, Troparion, Tone IV
In their sufferings, O Lord,
Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from
Thee our God;
for, possessed of Thy might,
they set at nought the tormentors
and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons.
By their supplications save
Thou our souls.
Download today’s octoechos HERE.
Download today’s menaion HERE.
Courtesy of St. Sergius Church
Hymns, Readings, Feast Day, and Fasting Information provided by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church.
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